Norwich folk divided over new benches in the market

Nine black, plastic benches have been installed below the Memorial Gardens in front of City Hall this week for shoppers to eat and drink at.

These have replaced six wood and metal benches which were installed in early 2017 and deemed to be unhygienic by council bosses.

Nine new benches have been installed at the top of Norwich Market (Image: Newsquest) But their installation has divided opinion and been branded both a benefit for the area and "a waste of money".

Two people enjoying their lunch in the gardens said: "I think the new benches are great.

"People can buy their food and sit down to eat when before there was nowhere to sit."

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The new benches are made from recycled plastic which is black in colour and described as weatherproof, rot-proof and low maintenance. The council spent around £10,000 on them.

"I do think the black is a boring colour," the couple qualified.

"They look a bit official and angry and the market is very colourful so they could add some more colour to them.

The number of new benches was praised but the colour left a lot to be desired, according to these two (Image: Newsquest) "We should get some local talent to paint them like they have at the Playhouse."

A member of staff at Lucy's Chips also praised the benches, saying: "There's a lot more space for everyone now.

"The new benches are quite comfy and they look neater which benefits the market." 

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Some of the other market stallholders are less than thrilled, however. 

Ron Butcher, of Ron's Fish and Chips, said he was displeased that more seating had been provided for the "market mafia", a group of people who he claims take up the seating all day.  

"If actual customers of the market used the benches I think it would be a good thing but it's always taken up by a bunch of loiterers who just sit and do nothing all day.

"They were in dire need of repair, however, since they haven't been changed or repaired in more than six years." 

Another stallholder, who wished to remain anonymous, said nobody who runs a business on the market was consulted before the new benches were put in place. 

"There was nothing wrong with the ones there before," she said. 

The old benches were made from wood and metal which are susceptible to the weather (Image: Google) "I think it's a complete waste of money when the same group of people use them day in, day out." 

A City Hall spokesman said: "The number of places has been increased from six to nine to provide improved and expanded seating for market visitors to enjoy.

"The change to plastic was primarily for hygiene reasons as they're easier to clean and dry."

To make room for three new benches two bins had to be moved which has already led to an increase in littering, according to one man. 

Stallholders questioned whether the new benches were necessary (Image: Newsquest) "People are now just throwing food on the floor instead of walking over the bins," he said.

"And the wooden benches which were here before were bigger and wider so you could get more on the table."

Questions were also raised about the return of the homeless encampment in the memorial gardens above and whether the money should have been spent on relocating them.

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When the issue first arose in early September, stallholders banded together to support each other against the anti-social rough sleepers.

The group was eventually moved on but less than two months later and the situation seems worse than before, it was claimed. 

"Why spend all that money buying fancy new benches when the area overlooking them looks like a slum?" a concerned stallholder asked.

Some like the colour and construction (Image: Newsquest)